Bengaluru: Within hours of Janata Dal (Secular) supremo H. D. Deve Gowda's surprise meeting with union railway minister Piyush Goel at the former's home in New Delhi, speculation was rife that some kind of an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party was in the works.
This was reinforced further on Friday, when it was learned that BJP national leaders have reportedly “instructed” the state BJP leaders not to antagonise Mr Gowda or his son, Janata Dal (Secular) state president, H. D. Kumaraswamy during electioneering in the state.
It was this directive that has now raised the possibility further of the Janata Dal (Secular ) and Bharatiya Janata Party coming together and fighting the forthcoming assembly elections in the state either through a tacit, pre-poll understanding or forging a formal post-poll alliance in the near future.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a senior leader in the BJP said that there was a higher probability that the BJP could have a tacit understanding ahead of polls rather than forging a formal alliance.
“It is well known fact that Mr Gowda never discloses his plan till the day arrives and it is also a known fact that Mr Gowda is known for keeping these kind of issues unresolved. Mr Gowda always likes to make choice at the last minute.
Hence, it is understood that there could be “friendly contests” between the Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal (Secular) in some of the seats,” the source said.
The source further claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders at the national level might also be thinking that in the event of a hung assembly verdict in Karnataka, they might want to keep a window open to negotiate and that could happen only if the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders do not “antagonise” both Mr Gowda and Mr Kumaraswamy in the state in the run-up to the assembly elections.
